Summaries of health policy coverage from major news organizations

Today’s Opinions: Ryan’s Roadmap; Beware Rising Cost Of Workers Comp

The Roads On Ryan's Map May Not Exist Minneapolis Star Tribune Your road map would turn the federal contribution to health care into a voucher (which I don't view as a dirty word). But the vouchers it would offer are at levels so far below current insurance premiums as to make it likely you'd be shifting costs to millions who can't afford them (Matt Miller, 8/23).

Workers' Comp Costs Climbing Again The Orange County Register These are early warning signs of workers' comp costs on the march back up, and businesses should beware. Finally, it's just sad that we have to revisit this issue again after it supposedly was fixed (8/23).

Gov. Deval Patrick Devalues Massachusetts Residents The Boston Herald I often get calls from business owner friends of mine, and inevitably they bring up the ridiculously high costs of health care and insurance in Massachusetts. Under our own version of Obamacare, the costs of both are going up faster in Massachusetts than in any other state (Michael Graham, 8/24).

Frank Talk About Care At Life's End The New York Times Legislators have begun to recognize the medical, humanitarian and economic value of helping terminally ill patients and their families navigate treatment options as they approach the end of life (Jane Brody, 8/23).

Admitting Medical Errors A Novel Approach To Malpractice Rates South Florida Sun-Sentinel Though many doctors, and the lawyers who advise them, worry that admitting errors will open them up to litigation, the study concluded the reality is not as punishing, and that honesty may actually help in the struggle to contain malpractice lawsuits, and the pressure they put on doctors' insurance premiums (8/23).

Health Care Dollars Should Benefit Patients The (Fort Myers, Fla.) News-Press It's downright painful to see health insurance companies rolling in the dough while millions of Americans pay huge health bills or have no coverage. Washington lawmakers tried to do something about it (8/23).
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